Latest news with #RodMoore
USA Today
10 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
ESPN grapples with ranking Michigan's Rod Moore for 2025 after ACL injury recovery
Ever since he started getting playing time late in the 2021 season, it became clear that Michigan Wolverines safety Rod Moore was a star in the making. Despite being a three-star recruit, Moore has always played well above his ranking, and he's made huge plays to show for it -- the biggest being the crucial interception at the end of The Game in 2023 to seal the maize and blue's victory over Ohio State. Moore was coerced to return for his senior season, despite having a very good opportunity to go pro after Michigan football won the national championship, but he tore his ACL in spring ball, taking him out for the entire season. Now that he's set to return for his fifth-year, the Wolverines will be relying heavily on his services, his leadership, and his intelligence to help out a mostly unproven safety room entering 2025. Earlier this week, ESPN put out a list of five college football players at each position in an effort to preview that 2026 NFL draft. Rod Moore came in ranked No. 5 among the safeties according to one of the two rankers, but the worldwide leader acknowledged that with his knee injury, it's a bit difficult to figure out just how good he might be this coming season. Toughest player to rank: Moore. The fifth-year senior missed last season after suffering a torn ACL in the spring of 2024. If he can return to his previous level of play (six combined interceptions in 2022-23), that's a huge win for the Michigan defense and could push Moore near the top of the safety class. But scouts are in wait-and-see mode as he returns from injury. Before the injury, Moore was among PFF's top returning safeties in the sport. Of course, he could have some growing pains returning to form after a whole year of not playing football. Besides Moore, junior Brandyn Hillman, sophomore Mason Curtis, senior Jaden Mangham, and others will be in rotation at the safety position in 2025.
USA Today
16-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Rod Moore's comeback fuels deep Michigan safety unit, PFF's 2026 NFL draft watchlist star
Rod Moore's comeback fuels deep Michigan safety unit, PFF's 2026 NFL draft watchlist star Michigan football might not be considered a preseason national championship or Big Ten contender entering 2025, but it certainly has some loaded position groups. The defensive tackle position, in particular, is quite loaded, with six Wolverines who might be considered starting-caliber players in Rayshaun Benny, Tré Williams, Damon Payne, Trey Pierce, Ike Iwunnah, and Enow Etta all set to rotate in the middle of the defensive front. The linebacker corps is increasing in depth, with two starters in Ernest Hausmann and Jaishawn Barham, while Jimmy Rolder (considered by the coaches to be a third starter), Cole Sullivan, Jaydon Hood (who was injured in spring ball), and freshmen Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng and Chase Taylor all in contention. Just as deep is the safety group, and one Wolverine is being singled out as a player to watch this year with eyes on next year's NFL draft. Rod Moore is returning in 2025 A team captain, Rod Moore was a mainstay in the defensive backfield in his first three years in Ann Arbor, but the former three-star sustained an ACL tear early in spring ball last year, precluding him from playing in 2024. Though he was thought to potentially be capable of playing late in the season, he suffered a setback and only started running on solid ground this week -- over a year after his injury. Knowing his potential, PFF put out a list of 10 safeties that fans should know about with eyes on the 2026 NFL draft, and Moore was one of the included players. Perhaps bittersweet is that former Wolverines safety Keon Sabb -- who had exemplary play in 2023 en route to Michigan's national championship -- is included, but now as an Alabama player. Sabb transferred to Tuscaloosa during the 2024 offseason. Other safeties are standing out for Michigan As noted, the safety position is particularly loaded. If Moore takes some time to fully reacclimate to playing at a high level (as was the case following a more minor injury in 2023) there are several other candidates who can help fill that void. Brandyn Hillman, entering his third year, is expected to start opposite Moore, but Mason Curtis, TJ Metcalf, Tevis Metcalf, and Jaden Mangham are all candidates to be in rotation. The Wolverines also brought in three four-star recruits at the position, with Jordan Young enrolling early and getting a head start as a first-year player, while Kainoa Winston and Elijah Dotson are poised to join the team this summer. The question for the Wolverines is less in the middle of the defensive backfield, but more on the boundaries. While Zeke Berry and Jyaire Hill are expected to start at cornerback for the maize and blue, the depth behind them is a little questionable, if not inexperienced. Second-year corner Jo'Ziah Edmond and true freshman Shamari Earls could be in rotation, but behind them, there are no clear options if Michigan needs to dig deeper into the bench.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Star Michigan Defender Posts Aidan Hutchinson Style Video Marking Return From ACL Injury
Last season was one with plenty of ups and downs for coach Sherrone Moore's Michigan Wolverines in Moore's first season as the team started off hot against Fresno State before getting drubbed by the Texas Longhorns and recovering to win eight games on the season. The Wolverines' underwhelming performance boiled down to two main factors: injuries and spotty quarterback play, as Michigan's Wink Martindale led defense was often forced to stay on the field for much of the game, getting stop after stop. Advertisement On Tuesday, Wolverines Nation got an update from one of the team's most effective defensive players, defensive back Rod Moore, who shared a video that might remind Michigan and Lions fans of Aidan Hutchinson's recent social media posts. Rod Moore attempts to strip the ball from Alabama running back Jase McClellan at the 2024 Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. © Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images "#Michigan DB Rod Moore posts on IG his first time running on ground in 14 months," reporter Brice Marich wrote on X. "Great to see." Moore also included a message in his Instagram post. "First time running on ground in 14 months thank you God," Moore wrote with a pair of praying hands. Moore was shown wearing a knee brace, a troubling development for fans expecting the brace to be off by this point in his rehab. Advertisement "There's no way he plays this season that sucks," one fan said. "Damn. That was a messed up injury," another added. "This seems like a super long recovery for an ACL tear, anybody know why?" another asked. "Did he have complications from his recovery?" "Good to see. Clearly not playing in 2025 though," another added about Moore after watching the video. Related: Ohio State, Michigan In Intense Recruiting Race For Projected $364k Star
USA Today
13-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Michigan football S Rod Moore cleared to run for first time since ACL tear
Michigan football S Rod Moore cleared to run for first time since ACL tear A leader, team captain, and outright playmaker, big things were expected for Michigan football safety Rod Moore entering last season. However, at the outset of spring ball in 2024, Moore tore his ACL, precluding him from what looked like much of the ensuing year -- with hopes that he could be ready to go by the end. However, that's not exactly what happened. It's unclear what Moore's setback was, but he didn't heal quite as quickly as many anticipated. Not only did he not return in the fall, but he was a no-go for all of spring ball in 2025. But head coach Sherrone Moore has been optimistic about the star fifth-year safety's return at the outset of the upcoming slate beginning in August. And now that dream looks ever closer to becoming a reality. Moore took to Instagram on Tuesday to share that for the first time since April 2024, he's been cleared to run -- a huge first step towards him taking the field in 2025. If Moore is able to go, Michigan would have a safety rotation featuring him, Brandyn Hillman, Mason Curtis, TJ Metcalf, Tevis Metcalf, Jaden Mangham, Kainoa Winston, Jordan Young, and Elijah Dotson. "Rod's trending in a super positive direction. Feels like he's going to be in a great place just for summer workouts, and be working his way in the fall camp," head coach Sherrone Moore said after spring ball. "So excited, man. I mean, a guy who's went through so much, went through the whole year, sat out and watched him be a leader off the field, and what he did, and how he's been now, and he's felt the best he's ever felt, because he had to have another surgery that really took care of the rest of it, and he's felt the best he's ever felt. He ran, and he's in a good place." Of course, Moore's biggest moment came in the 2023 iteration of The Game when he sealed the victory over Ohio State by picking off quarterback Kyle McCord. But he's been a solid mainstay for the Wolverines since he started getting early run as a true freshman, starting with the Penn State game in 2021.
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Sherrone Moore updates Michigan football safety Rod Moore injury status
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — It raised some eyebrows weeks ago when Michigan football defensive coordinator Wink Martindale commented on the In the Trenches podcast that fifth-year safety Rod Moore had not been running, indicating that the standout defensive back has not been cleared to work out following his ACL from spring ball last year. Martindale refused to elaborate last week when he met with the media for the first spring ball press conference. But now we know more. On Monday, head coach Sherrone Moore met with the media and he commented on where Moore is in his recovery, noting that he's not yet been part of spring ball but he isn't concerned about his status for the season. 'Yeah, not yet, but he's recovering well and I'm looking forward to him doing it too,' Moore said. About his status this spring, Moore continued: 'We'll see. Yeah, we'll see if he does.' In terms of Moore's availability this fall, Moore is confident that he will be back to full strength, commenting, 'Yeah, I feel good about it.' For now, the Wolverines will likely roll with a committee, with junior Brandyn Hillman, sophomore Mason Curtis, senior Jaden Mangham, and transfer TJ Metcalf all working out at safety. This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Where Michigan football S Rod Moore is in his ACL recovery in spring
